Bending frame for extending travel of an actuator for a mechanically actuated component

Abstract

A bending frame extends the travel of an actuator for a mechanically actuated component. The bending frame includes a plurality of bendable longitudinal struts, which are arranged about a longitudinal axis on which the travel of the actuator runs. The longitudinal struts each extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis, and an application of force enacted by the actuator long the actuation path on the longitudinal struts causes same to bend in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Respective cross struts extend out toward the longitudinal axis from each of the longitudinal struts, wherein a first end of a respective cross strut is articulated to a respective longitudinal strut and a second end of the respective cross strut opposite to the first end is provided in order to transmit force to the component in the direction of the longitudinal axis for the purpose of actuation thereof. The longitudinal struts and the cross struts interact with one another such that bending of the longitudinal struts causes the second ends of the cross struts to be displaced in the direction of the longitudinal axis, thereby extending the travel for mechanically actuating the component.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A bending frame for extending travel of an actuator for a mechanically actuated component, comprising:
 a plurality of bendable longitudinal struts, which are arranged about a longitudinal axis on which the travel of the actuator runs; 
 wherein the longitudinal struts each extend in a direction of the longitudinal axis, and an application of force enacted by the actuator along an actuation path on the longitudinal struts causes the longitudinal struts to bend in a direction perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis; 
 respective cross struts extending out toward the longitudinal axis from each of the longitudinal struts, wherein a first end of a respective cross strut is articulated to a respective longitudinal strut and a second end of the respective cross strut opposite to the first end is provided in order to transmit force to the component in the direction of the longitudinal axis for the purpose of actuation thereof; and 
 wherein the longitudinal struts and the cross struts interact with one another such that bending of the longitudinal struts causes the second ends of the cross struts to be displaced in the direction of the longitudinal axis, thereby extending the travel for mechanically actuating the component, 
 wherein the cross struts are interconnected at the second ends thereof, via a shared holding section, and wherein the component is mechanically actuated via a direct displacement of the holding section that is not otherwise transferred throughout an entirety of the component. 
 
     
     
       2. The bending frame according to  claim 1 , wherein the mechanically actuated component is a proportional valve for fuel supply in an orbital propulsion system. 
     
     
       3. The bending frame according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal struts each comprise two sub-struts, which are articulated at a connection point to one another. 
     
     
       4. The bending frame according to  claim 3 , wherein the two sub-struts are articulated to one another via a film hinge. 
     
     
       5. The bending frame according to  claim 3 , wherein the cross struts extending out from each of the longitudinal struts are articulated with the first end thereof to the respective longitudinal strut via a film hinge, and/or to the position of the connection point. 
     
     
       6. The bending frame according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 as seen in the direction of the longitudinal axis, all of the longitudinal struts have the same distance from the longitudinal axis, and 
 angles between adjacent longitudinal struts as measured from the longitudinal axis are of equal magnitude. 
 
     
     
       7. The bending frame according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the longitudinal struts are connected to one another at one of the ends thereof via a cross member running substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, and 
 the longitudinal struts are also connected to one another at the other ends thereof via a cross member running substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction. 
 
     
     
       8. The bending frame according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 as seen in the direction of the longitudinal axis, all of the longitudinal struts have the same distance from the longitudinal axis, and 
 angles between adjacent longitudinal struts as measured from the longitudinal axis are of equal magnitude. 
 
     
     
       9. The bending frame according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the longitudinal struts are connected to one another at one of the ends thereof via a cross member running substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, and 
 the longitudinal struts are also connected to one another at the other ends thereof via a cross member running substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction. 
 
     
     
       10. The bending frame according to  claim 9 , wherein each of the cross members is a ring that extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis and encircles the longitudinal axis, wherein the center point of the ring preferably lies on the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       11. The bending frame according to  claim 1 , wherein the bending frame comprises four or more longitudinal struts. 
     
     
       12. The bending frame according to  claim 1 , wherein, the bending frame is configured such that the longitudinal struts bend towards the longitudinal axis or away from the longitudinal axis along the actuation path when force is applied by the actuator. 
     
     
       13. The bending frame according to  claim 1 , wherein the bending frame is an integrally-formed component. 
     
     
       14. The bending frame according to  claim 1 , wherein the bending frame is configured so that the travel is extended via application of pressure by the actuator onto the bending frame or via application of traction by the actuator onto the bending frame. 
     
     
       15. The bending frame according to  claim 1 , wherein the bending frame is provided in order to extend the travel of a piezoelectric actuator or a magnetostrictive actuator. 
     
     
       16. The bending frame according to  claim 15 , wherein the piezoelectric actuator is a piezoelectric ring actuator. 
     
     
       17. A mechanically actuated component, comprising:
 an actuator; and 
 a bending frame which extends the travel of the actuator in order to actuate the component, the bending frame comprising: 
 a plurality of bendable longitudinal struts, which are arranged about a longitudinal axis on which the travel of the actuator runs; 
 wherein the longitudinal struts each extend in a direction of the longitudinal axis, and an application of force enacted by the actuator along an actuation path on the longitudinal struts causes the longitudinal struts to bend in a direction perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis; 
 respective cross struts extending out toward the longitudinal axis from each of the longitudinal struts, wherein a first end of a respective cross strut is articulated to a respective longitudinal strut and a second end of the respective cross strut opposite to the first end is provided in order to transmit force to the component in the direction of the longitudinal axis for the purpose of actuation thereof; and 
 wherein the longitudinal struts and the cross struts interact with one another such that bending of the longitudinal struts causes the second ends of the cross struts to be displaced in the direction of the longitudinal axis, thereby extending the travel for mechanically actuating the component, 
 wherein the cross struts are interconnected at the second ends thereof, via a shared holding section, and wherein the component is mechanically actuated via a direct displacement of the holding section that is not otherwise transferred throughout an entirety of the component. 
 
     
     
       18. The mechanically actuated component according to  claim 17 , wherein the component is a proportional valve for fuel supply in an orbital propulsion system.